Morning Dew: 100 Theme Drabbles
by Rachel Ell
Summary: A collection of drabbles dedicated to Usagi and Mamoru, inspired by the talented Alicia Blade. I enjoyed reading her pieces so much that I decided to have a go at it myself. I hope my attempts bring amusement and laughter into your daily lives, as you join me in exploring their off-screen romance that will renew your faith in true love.
1. Chapter 1: Quiz

1\. _Quiz_

"Motoki onii-san!" greeted the blonde, as she plopped herself onto a bar stool. From the corner of her eye, she singled out the lone baka sitting with his nose buried in a book.

"Usagi-chan! The usual chocolate milkshake?" asked Motoki. Hearing the voice of his favourite customer always lightened his mood, no matter how many rowdy kids came barging through the doors that day, or how many token jams he'd had to tend to in his game machines.

"Yes please! And I also have a few questions for you."

"Alright, shoot," he called back.

"Okay. First, what is your favourite ice cream flavour?"

"My favourite flavour?" He paused to think, then replied "Definitely mint chocolate chip!"

Usagi looked down at the open magazine in her hands and scribbled down the answer. "That's a good one! Let's see, and your favourite colour?"

"Green," answered the worker, too occupied on the order to notice his friend's steady focus on the pair before him.

Once again, Usagi scribbled down the answer onto the magazine page before looking up at him to see his gaze resting on her with genuine curiosity. Immediately, he looked away and took a long sip of his coffee.

"And your favourite animal?" called the blonde, refocusing on the page of questions in her hand.

"Hm… that's a hard one. A lion maybe? Or a cheetah… yeah! They're one of the fastest animals in the world you know!" grinned Motoki, handing her the shake.

"The fastest actually," a third voice commented. By this time, Mamoru was determined to join in on the conversation, refusing to be left unacknowledged by the angel beside him.

"So what's with the questions?"

Usagi looked down at her notes and blushed. "Just a quiz I was looking at."

"What's it for?" asked the arcade worker.

"Um… just to see how compatible you are with… your friends." She did not take her eyes off the ground. Suddenly, the strawberry syrup stain on the ground was strangely fascinating.

"Well, in that case, let's see how compatible you are with Mamoru here! You know, as friends," suggested Motoki, his eye holding a mischievous glint as the corners of his mouth turned up in a sly smile.

"Yeah right. Like I have anything in common with this baka," she grumbled. Expecting her arch-nemesis to agree with her, she was surprised to lift her head and find his intense blue eyes staring at her.

His face was unreadable and her heart quickened its pace. Suddenly, her hands felt sweaty, and she strengthened her grip on the countertop to steady herself.

Motoki broke the silence. "I know your favourite is chocolate ice cream. That's the only flavour you ever order here. But your favourite colour...?"

"Blue," he answered immediately. His eyes never leaving the blonde before him. _A deep cerulean blue, he thought to himself._ Usagi quickly scribbled the answer down, grateful for something to do as opposed to staring back at the man beside her.

"Okay, and what was the next question… favourite animal?" asked Motoki, looking over to the girl. He did not miss her sudden nervousness as she nodded her head in confirmation.

"My favourite animal… would have to be a bunny," stated the man slowly. His gaze finally averted away from Usagi, as she gave him a look of disbelief. Neverless, she wrote the answer down and narrowed her eyes at the page.

Finally, she gave a small but audible gasp and stood up abruptly. "Well… I best be going now! Thanks for the shake Motoki! And… goodbye baka," she gathered her bag and hastily made her exit. But not before knocking over a few innocent customers who had been patiently awaiting their order.

Motoki called after her, "But wait! You left your magazine here, and you never told us the results!"

Mamoru snatched up the article and scanned it over. His eyes widened incredulously, as he too stood and ran out the door after the blonde.

"Hey, wait a minute! You haven't paid for your coffee!" But his friend was long gone before he finished his sentence. Scanning the countertop, he noticed the abandoned magazine lying open.

Cautiously, he picked up the article and began to read. A smile made its way to his lips, and slowly spread into a large grin.

On the page, was an article titled "_Lover's compatibility test"_ with Mamoru's answers printed neatly beside each question. And beneath each one were Usagi's own answers, matching one for one.

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_Please review. I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!_


	2. Chapter 2: Donations

2\. _Donations_

Mamoru watched as his friend threw in 500 yen into a little pink box that Usagi was hugging close to her chest. It was decorated with ammature drawings of stars, moons and rainbows - all in crayon he noted.

"Oy, Odango! Guilt-tripping Motoki again into lending you money for your insane manga-buying habits?"

Usagi clutched the box tighter and glared at him. "No. For your information baka, this money isn't for me."

"Oh, my mistake. You're probably asking for money to buy a gift because you spent everything you own on milkshakes this month," he replied coolly. He did not miss the way her face grew red with anger, as she shot out looks of death to the man before her.

"I'd suggest something homemade, but judging from that box you're not much of an arts and crafts person," he continued.

"BAKA! I didn't make this! The children at the orphanage did, and everything in here is going towards new books for their library. Believe it or not, not everyone has everything they want handed to them on a silver platter," she spat, turning on her heels to leave.

He grabbed her arm quickly, and spun her back around.

"_What?_ Did you want to insult their work some more? I'll have you know that these children..."

Her voice trailed off as she noticed a change in the way he was looking at her. Instead of the cool, indifferent façade that he usually carried, his expression was now soft - almost compassionate.

"Here," he said handing her 5000 yen from his wallet. "Make sure they don't spend it all on manga."

Flashing her a genuine smile, he made his way to the exit, leaving a shocked Usagi standing amid the arcade. If he had looked back, he would have caught the tiny smile that slowly spread into a full on grin as she placed the money into the donation box.

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_Please review._


	3. Chapter 3: Tutor

3\. _Tutor_

Her eyes darted back and forth between the raven-haired college student and the brunette seated beside him. They were deep in conversation, speaking in hushed tones so she could barely make out a word.

Peering over her milkshake, she eyed the two speculatively noticing that they indeed made a very picturesque couple.

And for some reason, that did not sit right with her.

She strained her ears in hopes of catching any snippet of the exchange before her, but the two conversationalists were huddled close together as if forming a human shield to exclude her.

Frowning, she carefully set down her milkshake and approached the two cautiously. When she was close enough - and by close, she was merely a single booth away from the whispering couple - she decided to dart behind the nearest Sailor V game.

The sudden movement, however, attracted the attention of the brunette who glanced up to catch Usagi gawking at them. Smiling, she beckoned the blonde toward them. "Hello, you must be Tsukino Usagi."

Usagi blushed furiously from being caught in the act of spying and being scrutinized under Mamoru's gaze. "It's nice to meet you… um…"

"I'm Yuri," offered the girl. "Mamoru-kun here is tutoring me. It's so nice to finally meet the girl that he can't stop talking about!"

"Whatever he said about me - it's not true!" screeched the blonde. "I've only failed my past two tests… and the one before that… and maybe also the one before…"

Laughing, Yuri turned to her tutor. "You were right Mamoru, she really is as cute as you said."

Choking on his coffee, a red tinge crept into the college student's cheeks as Usagi stared at him with incredulous blue eyes.

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_Please review. Feel free to leave your suggestions and comments!_


	4. Chapter 4: Camera

4\. _Camera_

_Flash_.

_Flash._

_Flash._

"Usako, what are you doing?"

"I'm taking pictures of you studying," stated Usagi matter-of-factly.

Mamoru chuckled. "Why do you want pictures of me studying?"

"Because I want to document all the times we spend together." She snapped a few more pictures at different angles. "Sometimes when you're too busy to hang out with me, I look over at a photo of you and feel like you're there with me. It makes me feel less lonely."

He frowned at her confession. _Has he really neglected his Usako so much that she would feel the need to substitute his company with photos of him?_ Placing down his textbook, he walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Mamo-chan!" she squealed. "The camera!"

He swiftly took the camera out of her hands and placed it onto the table, turning back to capture her lips in one fell swoop. His mouth lingered on hers for a moment before he pulled away to reveal a dazed Usagi smiling happily back at him.

"Usako, you don't need pictures of me." He tilted her head up gently until her eyes met his. "I know I haven't spent as much time with you in the past as you hoped, but I'll try to make more room for you from now on. I love you, and I don't ever want you to feel alone."

"Mamo-chan…" she whispered. She looked at the man who was staring so lovingly down at her and briefly wondered how she got to be so lucky as to receive this amount of affection from him.

"I mean it. You're welcome to drop by my apartment at any time. And you can always call me when you want to talk. Do you understand?"

She nodded, her heart softening at his caring words.

"But I still want to take pictures," she giggled. Looping the straps of her camera over her neck, she promptly snapped another photo of him with his arms outstretched from where she had been momentarily.

He took a moment to compose himself before trying to stifle a laugh. Failing miserably, he burst into full laughter as he approached the confused photographer standing before him.

"Let's take one of the two of us," he suggested, still chuckling. "But first, allow me to take off the camera lens. I'm sure they'll come out much nicer this way."

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_Please review._


	5. Chapter 5: Bus Stop

5\. _Bus Stop_

She wrapped her arms around herself, hoping to preserve what little body heat that was not yet lost in the rain around her. Tufts of wet bangs covered her downcast eyes, as she focused on suppressing her chattering teeth.

The bus was delayed again, and she had been waiting outside for nearly half an hour, unfortunately falling victim to the vicious rainstorm that Mother Nature decided to throw her way. She was so focused on keeping her mind off the chilling wind that she went unaware of the fact that the rain had suddenly stopped its attack on her.

After a couple minutes, her mind slowly registered the lack of precipitation. She held out an outstretched arm to feel the immediate pounding of the rain on her palm.

Blinking, she lifted her face upward to be met with the concerned blue eyes of Mamoru. A large umbrella was opened above them, providing shelter from the downpour.

"What are you doing out in this weather? You're going to catch a cold." His voice held an all-serious tone that she rarely heard directed toward her.

She tried to answer that she had been waiting for her bus to get home, but her teeth were chattering much to madly to get out a coherent response.

Instinctively, he draped an arm around the small girl and pulled her closer, indifferent to her dripping wet clothes. A shiver ran up her spine from the sudden contact, but she nestled closer to his side, grateful for any means of heat.

Together, they waited for the bus in comfortable silence. The air was chilly that evening, but in his hold, Usagi had never felt warmer.

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_What did you think? Leave a review with your thoughts._


	6. Chapter 6: Mirage

6\. _Mirage_

Normally, by this time of the day, she would have crashed into him at least twice already. He would have called her a klutz and a few other choice names, as she launched equally strong comebacks like missiles in return.

But today, the happy bubbly blonde was nowhere to be seen. He hadn't had the pleasure of colliding into her on his way to class; hadn't caught sight of her long golden pigtails as he walked past her middle school. And most of all, he hadn't had his daily sparring match with her at the arcade where he was certain she would be the moment school was over - provided that you add an extra hour for detention days.

Sighing, he made his way to the park in Juuban District that had become his favourite place to ponder all his problems.

He could not understand why it bothered him so much to miss seeing her for a single day. Shouldn't he be happy to spare his ears from her annoying wails, and for once, avoid being the recipient of her infamous jerk insults?

_Clearly not_, his mind told him. The fact that he was sulking on a park bench with his head in his hands answered that.

His train of thought was interrupted briskly by the sound of tinkling laughter in his ears - Usagi's laughter. His head shot up and darted side to side, eagerly searching for the source of the wondrous sound.

As if answering his confusion, emerging from behind the glistening park fountain was the girl from his thoughts. Her school uniform flowed around her, caught in the gentle summer breeze. Her eyelashes fluttered, revealing eyes of the clearest blue he had ever seen. Unable to look away, he continued to stare, taking in the way her skin emitted a glow, as if a team of angels from above had blessed her with their own divine beauty. Her lips were pink and full, almost beckoning to him. He clenched his fists and swallowed hard, his mind frantic with anticipation of what was to come. She was making her way towards him and he could do nothing but sit tight and wait.

When she was only a few feet away, the sound of a blaring horn startled him away from his thoughts. His eyes darted over to his right to see a man on a bicycle scolding a little boy that had apparently ran out into the middle of his path to chase a stowaway ball. The toddler profusely apologized, bowing his head sincerely.

Anxious to turn his attention back to the blonde goddess proceeding him, Mamoru was baffled to find that she was nowhere in sight. Leaping up from the bench, he spun a 360 turn, only to find that there were no signs that the girl had been there at all. He blinked hard, rubbing his eyes, before finally deeming the entire a scene a mirage, projected by his mind during his dream-like state.

Returning to his spot on the bench, he reflected on the way a mirage took on the form of an oasis in a barren desert, taunting the traveller with the promise of water. He wondered if the image of Usagi was similar in this way, showing him what he desperately needed and wanted the most at that moment.

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_Leave your thoughts in a review. Feel free to let me know if there are any specific scenes/scenarios you would like to see our favourite couple in!_


	7. Chapter 7: Zoology

7\. _Zoology_

"Minako is clearly a lovebird," declared Rei.

There was a round of agreement throughout the table. After Motoki had commented on how Ami was always the quietest of the group, comparing her silence to that of a mouse, the girls had launched into a heated discussion on which animal they each resembled most.

Of course, he had meant it as a complement to the poor girl in hopes that her four friends would follow suite and take their chattering down a notch. But being who they were, it had only caused them to tease the girl mercilessly. And if he hadn't thought it impossible, he would have swore their voices rose even higher in volume.

"I think if Rei were an animal, she'd be a tiger," supplied Minako. "They're both scary and ferocious."

The other girls snickered as the blonde received a threatening growl from her raven-haired friend. "But also fierce, strong and powerful!" she added quickly.

"I think Makoto would be a wolf; wolves are known for their strength and speed when hunting, as well as their incredibly loyal nature to the pack." The comment had come from Ami, and she raised her eyes from her textbook to catch the brunette blushing mildly.

"Thanks, Ami-chan. Now does Motoki remind anyone else here of a puppy? He treats everyone like his best friend, and you can always count on him to cheer you up."

"Yeah!" chorused the girls. Motoki looked up from his counter, just in time to hear Minako add in a low voice, "And he's super cute!" He quickly turned away and busied himself with the task of polishing a napkin dispenser to hide his clear embarrassment at the comment.

"But which animal would Usagi be?" asked Rei. "And noone say bunny - that's way too predictable."

As soon as the question left her lips, a figure approached their table, and the five girls looked up to see Mamoru staring back at them with a smirk on his face. "Easy," he spoke. "Odango is obviously a cat. Amused by the smallest things and vicious when provoked."

He could hear the snarl building in her throat, but he simply smiled and continued.

"Yet there's something about their softness that makes them so adorable you can't help but fall in love with them."

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_Please review. Thank you for the supportive comments so far!_


	8. Chapter 8: Ducklings

8\. _Ducklings_

He heard her voice before he saw her. She was speaking in a soft coaxing tone, bidding the ducklings at the lake to get closer. From his vantage point, in the shadows of the large willow tree situated atop a grassy hill, he could vaguely make out the outline of a loaf of bread and what he deduced were bread crumbs in the palms of her outstretched hands.

He watched as she inched closer to the ducklings ever so slowly in her crouched position as to avoid frightening the little creatures. Again, he heard her speak in an almost motherly tone.

"It's alright, I won't hurt you. Come on."

He drunk in the scene below him and realized that he had never seen Usagi acting so peaceful and calm. Contrary to her usual vivacious demeanor that was not unlike the Energizer Bunny, the girl before him was the epitome of serenity.

Not wanting to disrupt her, but unable to keep away, he decided to join her down by the lake.

"What have you got there Odango?" he asked. As if he hadn't been watching her for the last twenty minutes.

She looked startled for a moment, wrinkling her face at the dreaded nickname. Then she quickly regained her composure in a matter of seconds as she turned her focus back to the feeding ducks.

"Go away Mamoru-baka, you're going to scare them off," she spoke with the same tranquillity she had used on the ducks, although this time, there was a hint of annoyance in her words.

"Sorry," he whispered back. "Do you mind if I have a piece?" He gestured to the loaf of bread emerging from a paper bag beside her on the ground.

She shrugged, and he took the response as a signal to help himself. He ripped off a chunk of the loaf and imitated her crouch, offering the bread to the ducklings. As one began to approach them hesitantly, she spoke again, her voice so low that Mamoru had to lean in close and strain his ears to catch her words.

"This one's my favourite," she said. "See how his feathers are different from the rest?"

He surveyed the small army of ducklings paddling along in the water nearby and noticed that their little friend was in fact dissimilar to them. Rather than sporting the same charming yellow coat as its siblings, its body was covered in distinct patches of chestnut-coloured down.

"He reminds me of the children's tale, The Ugly Duckling," she went on. "In the story, a swan egg had accidentally rolled out of its nest and found its way into a duck nest. The poor thing grew up as an outcast from his brothers and sisters and spent most of his childhood believing that he was the ugliest duckling there was. There is a happy ending though - one day, he wandered farther out into the pond than ever before and discovered a whole flock of birds just like himself. Realizing that he was never a duck to begin with, he finally saw himself as beautiful the way he was."

"That's a very lovely story Usagi."

She nodded her head. "I always loved that tale. It just goes to show that uniqueness can be beautiful too."

Mamoru stole a glance at the girl beside him, Odangos and all, and he couldn't agree with her more.

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_Please review. _


	9. Chapter 9: Magic

9\. _Magic_

"Pick a card, any card." She fanned out the deck she was holding and shoved them under his chin, causing him to shuffle back in surprise. He stared at the cards, then looked up at her and cocked an eyebrow in amusement.

"Don't tell me you're going to try to guess my card. That's the oldest trick in the book," he scoffed.

"Just do it!"

"Okay, okay. Sheesh." She could be so pushy at times. He loved it.

"Alright, now memorize the card and put it back in the deck." He did as he was told and sat back to watch as she shuffled the deck once, twice, and three times.

Finally selecting one out of the stack, she proudly exclaimed "Your card is… the Jack of spades!"

"Nope."

"Ar… are you sure? I could have sworn that was your card. King of hearts maybe?"

"No."

"Queen of Diamonds?"

"Close. Four of clubs."

She sighed, slumping down into the seat next to him. "This is hopeless."

"Odango, if you want to see a real magic trick, watch this." He waved an empty hand in front of her face, before reaching behind his back with the same hand to pull out a fully blooming rose.

"How did you do that?" she asked with widened eyes. "It's beautiful."

"You can have it," he said, extending the rose towards her.

She brushed the petals lightly with her fingertips. Then, in a moment of spontaneity, she reached forward with the intent of giving him a hug.

As if the scene were taken directly out of a scripted movie, she lost her balance in the hurry and stumbled forward - right into Mamoru's lap. Her cheeks flushed at their position, and she tried to push away, but Mamoru's arms kept her at bay. Risking a peek up at him, she found herself staring into a pair of alluring midnight blue eyes. He was so close that she could feel the heat emanating from his breath. Her eyes fell to his mouth and realized that if she leaned forward just the _teeniest_ bit, she coul-

Mamoru's lips crashed into her. All the air rushed out of her at once, but oxygen was no longer a priority. She felt a spark in the pit of her stomach that grew and grew until it erupted into a full display of fireworks. She felt his tongue caressing her lips, and she let out a soft moan when he found an opening into her mouth.

Her lungs begged for air, yet she pushed the thought to the back of her head, choosing instead to memorize the taste of coffee on his breath, the gentle way his hand was cupping her cheek, and the faint smell of roses lingering on his collar.

Finally, when neither could deny their lungs of air any longer, they pulled away gasping for breath. Both left the arcade shortly with flushed cheeks and goofy grins permanently plastered to their faces.

Later that night, Usagi's magic props found their way to the trash bin. No party trick was ever going to be as magical as _that_ kiss.

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_If you have suggestions for upcoming drabbles, leave them in a comment!_


	10. Chapter 10: Stars

10\. _Stars_

It was almost midnight, but he could not sleep. He had dreamt of the Princess again and woken once more with a confused heart. Deep down, he knew he was supposed to love the Princess, and he had a duty to protect Sailor Moon. But somewhere amongst all the chaos, Usagi had slipped in.

Over the course of the past few weeks, the girl had unknowingly tore apart the walls that caged in his emotions. She had triggered feelings he could not put a name to, and had left his heart in a bigger jumble than it was already in.

Letting out a groan, he ran his fingers through his hair. He knew it was going to be a while until he could fall back asleep again, and so settling on going for a stroll, he threw on his favourite blazer and snatched his keys on the way out. The cool brisk air at night always helped to clear his mind.

As he headed towards the bridge, he saw the outline of a person leaning against its rails. Upon closer inspection, he could make out two round buns with long streamers of hair flowing out from each one.

Just his luck, he thought, to bump into the one person he was trying to free his mind of. Sighing, he walked over to join her.

"You're up rather late," he said.

She jumped at the sound, clearly not expecting to have company at this time. Seeing the owner of the voice, however, she relaxed visibly and resumed her fixation on the stars.

"Oh, it's you."

"Shouldn't you be at home sleeping? I'll bet your parents are worried," he said frowning.

She shook her head, but remained silent. When he saw that he wasn't going to get any more out of her, he resolved on keeping the rest of his questions to himself and simply enjoying the quiet of the night.

This time, it was Usagi who broke the silence.

"Have you ever wondered about your future? You know, where you'll end up, who you're going to be - that sort of stuff?" Her eyes remained glued to the sky and held a distant look to them.

"All the time," he replied. And because he was Mamoru, he couldn't help but add, "Although, I'm surprised you've given your future any thought at all - what with all those failing grades." He cringed as the words left his mouth, inwardly praying that he hadn't ruined the moment and what would probably have been documented as their first civilized conversation ever.

She suppressed growl, but shook it off quickly, returning to her thoughts. Mamoru breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sometimes, I wonder if everything's already planned out for me. Like I have no choice in the matter, but to follow through with what was already chosen to be my destiny." She closed her eyes, reminiscing the moment she first found out that she was the guardian soldier of love and justice.

Mamoru surveyed the girl. On the outside, she looked peaceful and content, but he could sense the sadness underlying her words. Before tonight, he would not have thought it possible that anything could bring her down. She was always smiling and so full of life, even when the situation at hand seemed grim. But seeing her now, he thought perhaps there was more to her than she showed everyone on the surface.

Usagi opened her eyes, but the glazed look in them told she was a million miles away.

"They say that your fate is written in the stars," she said softly. "I've been searching all night, but they all just look like stars to me."

He followed her gaze, and his eyes landed on the greatest expanse of stars he had ever seen. He couldn't remember a night where the sky had been illuminated by more twinkling lights, glistening like crystals against the dark backdrop. It was as if they were all purposely gathered tonight, for the sole reason of spelling out what the girl's future held.

"Maybe there's a special way to read them," he said. He watched as she furrowed her brows, deep in concentration, and set on finding out what fate had in stock for her once and for all.

"I'll help you look," he offered. Maybe the stars held information on his future too. It wouldn't hurt to try, he thought, remembering his tangled heart and split feelings for the three women in his life.

And that was how the two came to be, searching the skies for clues, with neither realizing that the answer they sought was standing beside them all along.

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_What did you think? I know, I'm terrible at keeping these short, but it's so hard to stop writing once you start!_


	11. Chapter 11: Opposites

11\. _Opposites_

She was perpetually cheerful. He was mostly serious.

She made friends in a heartbeat. He preferred to keep others at a distant.

Her grades were atrocious. He was always top of his class.

Her incandescent smile lit up a room, leaving everyone within its radius feeling more lively and hopeful. The closest thing to a smile that graced his face was a smirk.

And yet despite all that, neither could stay away from the other for very long. It was as if their polar opposites were the very thing that brought them together, like the two sides of a magnet.

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_Finally a true drabble (100 words)! These will be rare in my collection since I love writing shorts. Leave a review!_


	12. Chapter 12: Third Wheel

12\. _Third Wheel_

If there was one thing that Mamoru despised more than anything, it was being a third wheel. It wasn't that he hated being reminded of his single status - although he wouldn't consider that encouraging either. No, it was being the odd one out that bothered him the most.

The moment that Motoki invited him to tag along with his date on Reika, he knew it was going to be a bad idea. He had used every single excuse in the book to get out of it, starting with the classic 'I'm busy', 'I made plans already', and had even gone so far as to throw in the 'I-contracted-a-deadly-disease-that-I-would-hate-to-spread-to-you' excuse. But Motoki wouldn't have it. He had _insisted_.

And that was how he ended up at the fair, surrounded by a mob of people, and wishing every moment that a teleportation device would magically appear to send him home.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Motoki and Reika holding hands and nestled close to one another. He slowed his walk to give the couple some space, shoving his hands into the recesses of his jacket pockets. From an outsider's perspective, one might have guessed that the frown on his face was an indication of his disapproval towards his friend's relationship. But that one would have been wrong.

He was happy that Motoki had found someone - he really was. But after practically dragging him here against his protests, he had come to realize that he might as well be invisible to the two lovebirds. _Maybe love _is _blind_, he thought to himself.

"Would my cuddle muffin like anything to drink? We could share a smoothie," he heard Motoki ask.

"Only if you pay for it, sugar bear," teased Reika.

Mamoru grimaced. Okay, so being supportive didn't mean he had to stick around and listen to the couple exchange sickly-sweet nicknames for each other. He slowed his walk to a halt, watching as his friends made their way towards a concession stand, before quickly darting behind a large tent. He breathed in relief, thankful that they hadn't noticed his disappearance, and grateful to have escaped the party.

"Who are you spying on, baka?" a voice suddenly called from behind him.

He tensed at the voice, thinking that he had been found out, before realizing that it was only Usagi.

Regaining his sense of collectedness, he replied "I'm not spying on anyone." He flinched at his unconvincing tone.

"Sure you're not. That's why you're standing here looking all suspicious, and jumping like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar when I called you." She folded her arms over her chest and gave him one his own signature smirks to show that she knew she was right.

"I wasn't spying," he sighed. "Motoki asked me to come with him today, but I guess he forgot all about inviting me as soon as Reika showed up. I figured since they barely noticed me while I was there, they'd hardly miss me if I was gone." He smiled and added, "I'm beginning to think he just wanted me as their chauffeur."

She giggled. "At least that's one thing you're good for."

"So who are you here with? Don't tell me you came here alone." His eyes searched behind her for signs of her usual crowd, but came up blank.

She shook her head. "I originally came here with my friend, Naru. But then we bumped into Umino - one of my classmates. They started talking and… well, I think they actually like each other. She wrinkled her nose. "Anyway, I left before they could start planning out baby names."

Mamoru chuckled. "Join the party. We both somehow inadvertently became third wheels and ditched the wagon before things got bumpy."

"We are such great friends," laughed Usagi. On the spur of the moment, she added, "While we're here, why don't we go explore the rest of the fair?"

Mamoru looked down at the hand she was offering. She was smiling nervously, and he noticed a light blush tinting her cheeks. For a moment, his mind drifted towards the empty apartment that he had been so eager to get back to earlier, but he quickly shook away the thought. Grabbing onto her hand, he returned her smile.

"Lead the way."

As Usagi pulled him back into the bustling crowd, chattering away animately and pointing out everything she saw, Mamoru reflected on the unlikely circumstance that brought them together. Maybe being a third wheel wasn't so bad after all, he thought. Especially if this wheel met another along the way.

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_I apologize for not being able to update sooner. There has been a lot going on in my personal life recently, but I don't want anyone to think that I've abandoned this project. Hopefully, I'll be able to post the next few drabbles soon. Until then, leave a review!_


	13. Chapter 13: Cape

13\. _Cape_

He _really_ needed to have a word with whomever was in charge of his vigilante outfit. A tuxedo, he could handle. It was, after all, a respectable wardrobe choice for men - not to mention he looked rather dashing in it if he did say so himself. His mask? Well, that was undoubtedly necessary for hiding his identity. The top hat might be a little over the top (pun intended), but it worked well with the suave, debonair gentleman look that he suspected the designer was going for.

However, the one item of clothing that he absolutely abhorred was his cape. Simply put, superheroes with capes were just too clichéd.

Just who had decided that a cape would be a good idea in the first place? It surely didn't provide him with any additional advantage to his already existing flying powers; rather, it often had the tendency to get in the way during a fight by making him a hundred times easier to grasp onto.

Furthermore, the fabric slowed down his movement considerably, putting both himself and Sailor Moon at risk when he had to swoop down to save her like the knight in shining armour - err, tuxedo - that he was.

As he stirred his coffee absent-mindedly, deep in thought on ways he could possibly ditch the wretched article of clothing, he heard a delicate voice ring out through the arcade. Instantly becoming alert, he traced the sound to a booth at the far end of the room where five giggling girls were talking in loud voices amongst one another.

"Come on, Usagi! We told you ours, so it's only fair that you share what you like on a guy," he heard one of her friends say. He strained his ears and sat still, waiting for her answer.

"Well," Usagi began slowly. "Personally, I'm really fond of the look on Tuxedo Kamen. His dark ensemble and mask give him an air of mystery, while the hat makes him look sophisticated at the same time. But the best part of his costume is his velvet cape - the way it cascades down his shoulders and flutters in the wind..." She sighed. "It really makes him look gallant." _Not to mention, she felt safest when he wrapped it around her. _She ducked her head down to hide a wistful smile, as she recounted the numerous times that her saviour had shielded her with the soft material after a rescue.

Back at the counter, a single dark-haired college student grinned delightedly to himself. He definitely had to have a word with the genius who created his costume. The cape had been a _great_ idea.

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	14. Chapter 14: Midnight Rendez-vous

14\. _Midnight Rendez-vous_

She knew he was there the moment he landed. She could _sense_ him. It was another proof of the undeniable bond that kept them together; another reminder that they were destined to meet again as lovers in this lifetime.

Sliding off her bed, she silently padded over to her balcony doors and unclasped the latch. The gentle breeze drifted in, sending her curtains and nightgown billowing around her. She made her way across the cool stone ground to where the newcomer was standing, still adorned in the clothes of his alter ego. Upon seeing her, his transformation faded away into the night, leaving him in a simple white tee and grey sweatpants that hung dangerously low on his hips.

He closed the distance between them, enveloping her in his arms and burying his face in her hair. Naturally, she rested her hands against his chest, closing her eyes to savour the moment. No words were needed as they communicated all they needed to say through their embrace.

When they finally broke apart, she made her way wordlessly back into her room, pulling him along with her. Being cautious as to not wake up the rest of the household, Usagi climbed back into her bed, still warm from her heat.

Standing at her bedside, Mamoru took in the image of the small girl nestled against her covers. The moonlight infiltrated her room, basking her in a silver white glow that made her look fairy-like. Her long golden tresses were let loose out of their usual buns, and pooled around her like extravagant rich silk.

Without taking his eyes away from her, he lifted up the covers on her bed a few inches and crawled in beside her. She was facing the other way with her back to him, so he took the opportunity to wrap an arm around her waist, effectively pulling her closer. As sleep fell upon them, their eyelids grew heavier and heavier, eventually sending them off to their dreams.

When Usagi awoke, the sun was shining brightly through her balcony windows and the birds were whistling a cheerful melody. She rolled over in her bed to find it empty, immediately feeling a loss. As she turned back over to her nightstand, a splash of crimson colouring caught her eye. On the table was a blooming red rose, devoid of any thorns upon its emerald stem. She smiled happily at the gift, adding it to the vase that held equally beautiful roses from the nights before.

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Please leave a review! I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one.


	15. Chapter 15: Lifeguard

15\. _Lifeguard_

"Come on you guys, hurry! I want to grab the best spot on the beach!" called Usagi, as she ran towards the shore kicking up sand in all directions.

"Baka, we'd be there much faster if you would help us carry some of this stuff," yelled back an irritated Rei. She was heaving a large beach umbrella with Ami, followed by Minako carrying magazines, sunscreen lotion and a large boombox. Makoto lingered behind, her arms laden with beach towels, a large picnic basket, and a beach bag.

"I'm the location seeker. It's my duty to go ahead and save us all a nice spot. You'll thank me later," Usagi shouted cheerfully, ignoring her groaning friends. As she approached the crashing waves, a low voice from behind startled her.

"Watch out for the water, Odango. I'd hate to have to go after you just because you accidentally fell in."

Her head whipped around, but saw no one in sight. Scanning the sand around her, she heard the voice call out again.

"Up here."

Looking up, she spotted a tanned body of the male species seated atop what appeared to be a lookout tower. Squinting from the sun, she made out the hazy outline of Mamoru sitting with one leg crossed over the other, his usual smirk in place on his face. She made an attempt to shoot him a glare, but only managed to look half as intimidating with her eyes still partially blinded.

"I hope you brought your water wings," he said, smiling coyly.

"I can swim, you jerk!" Usagi screeched.

Fanning himself from the heat, he replied cooly, "The doggy paddle does not count as swimming."

Lifting up a hand to shield her eyes, Usagi suddenly noticed his naked torso and athletic build. Her eyes instinctively roamed towards his muscular arms, toned chest, and finally rested on his abdomen where a sturdy six-pack gleamed in the sun. She couldn't help but gawk. With her mouth open. Never had she imagined that underneath the ghastly green jacket was _that._

"Earth to Odango," shouted Mamoru, promptly snapping her out of her trance.

She looked up at his face - his gorgeous face - with that set jawline and those piercing blue eyes. Taking a deep breath, she pulled herself away with all the willpower she could muster.

_20 minutes later_

His eyes swept over to the area where she had been lounging with her friends the moment they joined her. The girl of his interest, however, was nowhere to be found. Frowning, he scanned the entire length of the beach from his vantage point, when suddenly a spot in the distance caught his eye. Upon recognition, his eyes widened in horror. He had found her - a dozen feet away from the shore, with her arms flailing and thrashing about in the water was Usagi.

He made his way down the tower with lightning speed and dashed towards her, his heart picking up pace from both physical exertion and worry. His mind flashed to images of a cold and lifeless Usagi, causing him to speed up even more. Crashing into the upsurge of waves, he swam towards her as if his own life depended on it.

As he closed in on her, the flailing stopped, and her body submerged into the depths of the water.

He dove down after her, adrenaline coursing through his veins. Securing his left arm around her waist, he kicked his way to the surface. With his right arm, he propelled them back to shore as fast as humanly possible.

Her eyes were shut, but her breathing was steady, allowing Mamoru to exhale in relief. Laying her down on the wet sand, he pressed his ear against her heart to hear a faint thumping. All the signs showed that she was fine, and yet her eyes remained closed.

Drawing in a deep breath, Mamoru proceeded to start the procedure for CPR. Using two fingers, he tilted up her chin, pinched her nose, and pressed his lips to hers. As he was about to release the breath into her lungs, he felt her stir lightly beneath him. Her lips parted swiftly, pressing back on his with slightly more force. Two slender arms came up and intertwined themselves around his neck, keeping him fixed to the spot. His mind barely had time to register what was happening, before his senses took over demanding that he kiss her back.

The scene was not left unnoticed, as four girls further up the beach watched on with shocked expressions at the two kissing passionately in the sand.

"I can't believe it worked," said Minako disbelievingly. "That girl deserves more credit than we give her for."

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	16. Chapter 16: Playground Advice

16\. _Playground Advice_

She curled her fingers around the chains of her swing and started to turn herself clockwise. The sky was beginning to take on a deep blue hue, indicating the oncoming nightfall. At this hour, she was the only one left at the playground, with all the younger kids having gone home for dinner.

Normally, she would never have missed a meal. In fact, Usagi was well-known for pestering Ikuko for food the moment she got home from school. But today was a different story. She was in no mood to eat, which spoke volumes for the girl who constantly shovelled down food like a pig.

As the chains of her swing coiled to their maximum, she lifted up both feet off the ground, sending herself spinning in the opposite direction. The playground had always been her place to think things over, ever since she was a little girl. When she was 5, she had wandered a little too far from home and found the place by accident. Without knowing what to do, she had sat down on one of the swings and cried until her mother and father came searching for her, making her promise to never leave their sight again.

Now at 15, it had become more of a sanctuary where she brought all her biggest problems to mull over. Twisting herself in the swing once more, she released her hold on the ground and watched as the world went spiralling around her. It was her own way of dealing with stress - by temporarily morphing her problems into one huge colourful blur.

As she started to wind up the chains once again, she felt them suddenly halted above her. She lifted her head to see Mamoru, one hand holding the chains steady, staring back at her with an amused expression. At the sight of her glum appearance, the smirk fell from his face.

"Let go," she commanded. He did so, sending her pivoting with her hair whipping in the wind around her. When the spinning stopped, she paused for a moment to gather her thoughts and shake off the dizziness.

With a sombre voice, she asked "Have you ever been so afraid of failure that you considered giving up before you even tried?"

He noticed a seriousness in her tone that he never knew she possessed. Looking into her eyes, he could not detect any traces of the girl who crashed into him all those mornings, or the girl who turned failed test papers and shoes into flying weapons. All he could see was the deep sadness that etched her features, extraordinarily out of place on the usually bubbly blonde.

Taking a seat on the swing next to her, he replied truthfully, "No, I don't. There are always going to be times when you think you're going to fail, but that's when you have to remind yourself that if you don't try, then you've already lost. You can't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. You've just got to give it your best shot and keep looking for ways to improve the next time around."

Usagi remarked at the sincerity of his answer. She knew he was genuinely trying to help her, but hearing his words only made her heart drop.

"But what if you can't fail? Not even once. What if failing meant that the people closest to you would get hurt?" she asked softly.

Mamoru was taken aback. What task could this girl possibly have that couldn't risk failure? He tried to shrug it off as a teenage girl problem that he would never understand, but something in her expression told him there was more to it.

"Then that should be your greatest motivation to persevere. If succeeding meant that you could prevent the people you care about from getting hurt, wouldn't you think it's worth it to try - even if all the odds were against you?" Mamoru looked at her earnestly, mentally crossing his fingers in hopes that he had said the right thing. If her situation was really as dire and serious as she made it sound, he would hate to accidentally steer her the wrong way with poor advice.

His prayers did not go unanswered, as Usagi's mood seemingly improved after hearing his words. There was a long minute of silence, before she slowly nodded her head and hopped off her swing.

"You're right - it would be worth it," she replied. "Thank you." Making her way over to his side of the swing-set, she gave him a short hug in appreciation.

Not knowing what to do, but grateful that he had at least been of some help, he awkwardly brought his arms around her, giving her a gentle squeeze.

"Anytime," he said.

As she broke away from their embrace, she flashed him one of her signature smiles that could melt an army. He could feel his heart pulsing more rapidly than usual, and hoped that she could not make out his sudden nervousness. Watching her walk away with an extra bounce in her step, he settled back into his swing.

He was going to be spending a lot more time at this playground now, reflecting on his problems - starting now, with how he was ever going to get that smile out of his head.

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_Hey everyone! Thank you for all the reviews; the responses have been incredible. I hope you enjoyed this drabble, and I will continue to update as often as I can._


	17. Chapter 17: Wishbone

17\. _Wishbone_

Usagi sauntered into the arcade, making a beeline for the counter before swiftly plopping herself onto a stool beside Mamoru. There were plenty of vacant seats around at the hour, but there was no way she was going to miss an encounter with the guy if she could help it.

"What are you doing?" she asked, by way of greeting.

Without looking up from his novel, he answered disinterestedly, "Studying."

She frowned. "What are you studying?"

"Physics."

"Go figures," she said, rolling her eyes. Leave it to the man to pick the most difficult of the sciences to pursue. "Don't you ever get tired of studying?"

"No, I enjoy learning," came his stern reply. She didn't overlook the fact that throughout their entire conversation, he never looked up from his text once.

Frustrated that she wasn't getting more out of him, she scrambled around in her bag and pulled out an ivory-coloured wishbone.

Shoving it into the space between Mamoru's nose and the book he was buried in, she finally earned a curious glance from him.

"What's this?" he asked.

"It's a wishbone. You're supposed to grab onto one side of the bone while another person grabs onto the other. Then on a count of three, you both close your eyes, make a wish, and pull. Once it breaks, the person with the longest piece will get their wish fulfilled."

"So what do you want me to do with it?"

"Grab onto the other end, of course, and make a wish. At least _one_ of our wishes will come true," she said, wagging the bone in front of his face. "Just do it, you might get to wish for an A on your test or something, and then maybe you can finally take a break."

Eyeing her cautiously, he eventually shrugged his shoulders and put down his book. Closing their eyes, they each grasped onto one of the forked ends of the bone and pulled. A loud _crack_ indicated its demise, and they looked down into their hands to see the result. It was Mamoru who held the longer piece of the bone.

"Congrats," said Usagi, giving him a wistful smile. She looked away to hide her disappointment, but Mamoru managed to catch a glimpse of her fallen face before she turned. The hope that had been in her eyes only seconds ago seemed to have evaporated, along with any chance that her wish would come true.

"What did you wish for?" he asked.

"For you to stop teasing me so that maybe we could be friends," came the small voice.

He instantly felt a painful stab in his heart at her confession. "Does it really bother you that much? I didn't think you minded, since you were always ready with an equally sharp retort."

The only response he received was a shrug, as she continued to look away.

"If that's what you want, then I won't call you names anymore," he said, extending out a hand towards her. "How about we start over? I'm Mamoru."

She turned around, unsure of what to make of the gesture. But his unwavering charming smile eventually caused her to cave in, and she gratefully accepted the proffered hand. "I'm Usagi," she said, smiling back.

Shaking hands, they briefly shared a moment of mutual amity as they bid their disagreeable past together goodbye. When Mamoru stood up to leave, Usagi called out to him. "Wait!"

He looked back down at her with a questioning glance.

"So what was your wish?" she asked.

A mischievous glint crept into his eyes, as he cocked his head to the side and replied, "For your wish to come true."

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	18. Chapter 18: Rainbow

18\. _Rainbow_

Mamoru was having a bad day. To start, his alarm never went off because he had forgotten to change the batteries the night before. The delay forced him to start the morning without his custom dose of caffeine, leaving him in a zombie-like state on his way to school.

A steady rain-shower hit the city only minutes after he stepped onto the street, completely drenching him by the time he walked into the hallways of the university. His teacher decided to pick today, of all days, to spring up a surprise quiz on material he never got the chance to review, due to the increasing youma attacks lately.

His homework was soaked from the rain, and not only was his hair a mess, but he had also forgotten his lunch and wallet at home, forcing him to starve through the agonizing hours.

At the sound of the school bell signalling the end of class, he gathered his things to leave and thanked the skies for ceasing its onslaught of rain. Scowling his entire walk home, he failed to notice the lone figure heading his way until it was too late.

With a hard _smack_, the two pedestrians collided into one another and hit the pavement in a jumbled heap.

"Ow…" cried Usagi.

"You have got to be kidding me," groaned Mamoru, rubbing his poor back that had taken most of the impact of the fall.

He was about to complain about having one more terrible thing to add to his day, when Usagi gasped and pointed towards the sky.

"Look!"

He turned his head over in the direction she was pointing at, only to be met with the sight of a vibrant rainbow stretched across the sky like a picturesque path descending from heaven.

"It's beautiful," breathed Usagi, in an astonished voice.

Mamoru could only stare at the sky with fascination, taking in its enchantment. Sitting on the ground next to the girl and soaking in the wonder of the sight projected before them, he could feel all the bitterness that he had accumulated through the day melt away. Suddenly, none of the awful things that happened earlier seemed so bad anymore.

Perhaps it was the colourful illusion in the sky that brought about the change, but he couldn't help but feel that it also had something to do with Usagi. Like a rainbow, she was always there to renew his spirits after a turbulent, dark storm.


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